FAZER LOGINâAdrian, what's going on?â Evelyn cried, her voice cracking as she rushed after him. Her heels slammed against the marble floors of the fashion hall, each loud click echoing like a countdown to disaster. Panic wrapped around her chest so tightly she could barely breathe.Adrian didnât slow downânot even for a second. His entire body was stiff, his jaw clenched so hard the muscles twitched.âI want all men on ground, surround the building, all exits closed. Nobody is allowed to leave this building until I say so. Block every body and vehicle around this building.â Adrian barked through the intercom as he stormed toward the bathroom.The guards scattered instantly, sprinting into formation as the tension in the air thickened.Evelyn forced her legs to move faster, her heart pounding so loudly it blurred her hearing. But the moment she reached the bathroom doorwayâShe froze.Her world stopped.âEli!!!â Evelyn screamed, her voice splitting in terror.Thereâon the cold, polished floorâher
Clara followed quietly behind Eli, her heels clicking faintly against the polished marble as she moved through the backstage hallway. The little girl, completely oblivious to the danger trailing her, hummed softlyâa light, airy tune that echoed off the cold bathroom tiles as she pushed the door open. Claraâs pulse thudded with anticipation. She paused outside the bathroom door, listening to the faint splash of running water and Eliâs innocent humming. Everything was unfolding perfectly. The chaos of the fashion show had created the distraction she neededâmodels rushing to change outfits, stylists sprinting across the wings with garment racks, assistants juggling last-minute alterations, reporters swarming the entrance, and Evelyn⊠busy being Scarlett on stage. Claraâs lips curled. Her fingers flew over her phone screen. I have eyes on the girl. Get your men ready. Once sheâs under control, Iâll signal you. She sent the message and slipped her phone into her purse, breath steady,
Clara got wind of the fashion show two days before the event. She had been quiet all this while, observing from the shadows, waiting⊠calculating. She needed the perfect moment to strike, and this day seemed carved out for her. Evelyn would undoubtedly be overwhelmed running the show, Isa would definitely be on the runway, and Alex and the Montgomerys would be scattered, busy managing guests and logistics. If she ever needed to attack without raising suspicion, today was the most flawless opportunity. Picking up her phone, she dialed Mark. âWe move that day,â she said coldly. And together, they mapped out a sleek, silent, perfect attack plan. --- The venue buzzed with the kind of excitement only the fashion world knewâcamera flashes, murmuring reporters, perfume-heavy air, and the soft hum of backstage sewing machines completing last-minute hemming. LED runway lights glowed like molten gold, casting warm reflections against the polished marble floor. Evelyn, standing near the e
The warehouse fell silent. The only sound was the soft echo of Adrianâs boots against the cracked concrete floor, and the faint metallic rattle of chains still swaying from the ceiling. Dust floated through the dim rays of sunlight filtering in through broken windows, turning the atmosphere heavy, suffocating⊠and final. Adrian watched as the three captured men convulsed violently on the ground. Their bodies jerked, their breaths came in short burstsâuntil, one by one, the movements slowed⊠then stopped completely. One of Adrianâs men knelt beside them. He pressed two fingers to the necks of each man, checking for a pulse. After several seconds, he exhaled sharply. âTheyâre dead,â he said grimly. Adrianâs jaw clenched. His fingers curled into fists. âDamnit,â he muttered under his breath. Just when he thought he finally had a leadâsomething solid enough to pull the strings from the shadowsâthe line snapped yet again. He knelt beside the bodies, staring at their stiffening faces
â Shadows of Ellington City âThe outskirts of Ellington City were a wild stretch of forgotten landâabandoned train tracks, half-collapsed warehouses, and weeds tall enough to brush the windows of deserted buildings. The sky hung low with thick grey clouds, casting the entire landscape into a gloomy canvas of shadows.Inside one of these abandoned warehouses, a man in his mid-twenties paced like a caged animal. The dim light from the single flickering bulb overhead caught on the sharp angles of his face. His featuresâstriking, aristocratic, almost too perfectâwere twisted now with pure rage.Crates rattled as he kicked them aside, metal rods clattered to the ground, and dust rose in the air like smoke from a fire. His breaths came out harsh, each one vibrating with fury.âCalm down, Charles,â came a timid voice from the far end of the room.Andyâtwo years younger, leaner, and visibly shakingâstood with raised hands as if approaching a wild beast.Charles whirled, eyes blazing.âDonât
Ethan, having heard the assistantâs words, rose quietly from his seat, careful not to attract attention. âIâm going inside,â he said, his tone calm yet resolute as he walked briskly upstairs, every step measured and deliberate. âWhere is he rushing to?â Mrs. Montgomery asked, concern knitting her brows as she watched him disappear around the corner. âProbably to check out whatâs going on on Adrianâs side,â Evelyn replied, sinking deeper into the sofa cushions. She had begun to feel an unfamiliar attachment to Adrianâan unease she struggled to suppress. Imagining the worst if Adrianâs nonchalance toward the situation persisted. She exhaled heavily, frustration and apprehension twisting together in her chest. Meanwhile, across the city at Nexus Corporation, a storm of controlled chaos unfolded. The server room hummed with a low, mechanical drone that seemed almost alive, punctuated by the hurried footsteps of engineers racing across the polished floor. Screens flickered with lines o







